I am being transported in some sort of van. There are three others with me. Two are randoms named Courtney and Britney, but the third is Melissa, a friend from school. We are on a highway going through some woods when we turn left into them. Just off the road is a small group of people, maybe a dozen give or take. We get out and one of the leaders makes us go down into the splits. I'm slow and can't do the whole split.

She tells us that one of us needs to become their Joan of Arc: a sacrifice. She tells us not to complain and then takes her gun, puts it to Melissa's head, and pulls the trigger three times. I look away as soon as I see her head jerk the first time. I'm shocked. I don't even talk or cry. They lead us to this house a little further back in the woods. They are calling us “Grouters”. I'm assuming thats what they call the new people before they prove themselves.

That first night, a lot of other grouters attempt an escape, using a small space in a wall that went outside. I didn't have time to go through it, but I wasn't going to in the first place. As soon as Melissa was shot, I decided that I was going to do whatever it took not to die, so I actually help Them. I am going to gain Their trust, become one of Them. The camp goes into a frenzy, for some reason They are shooting off fireworks. I rush outside and help one of Them carry a box to a girl on a ladder shooting them off. I apologize for doing all of these things even though I'm just a Grouter, but They seem pleased with me and my enthusiasm to belong to the group.

One night, They wonder where I've been, start to get angry. I come back soon saying that I was working a deal or something with someone for their lettuce. They look at me for a moment, then start storing the lettuce. They don't seem suspicious. I tell someone that I was actually outside the compound, flying some sort of UFO when I realized that I needed an excuse when I came back and just found a small field of lettuce.

One day I find out something: Melissa is still alive. I'm completely relieved, and when I see her for the first time, I collapse on the ground and cry. I thank God. She is standing on a trailer, and I go around to meet her when I see her mom. That surprises me, because I thought the compound was a secret, but I direct her to her daughter. I want to just hug Melissa and tell her how happy I am that she is alive, but she runs past me and thanks me for telling her that her mom is here.

Then my mom comes too. We take a walk in what looks like this arcade convention center sort of deal. I slowly start to tell her about the compound, easing her into it. She makes some comment about the kind of punishment that i'm talking about and I say that the only kind of punishment They give here is death. She doesn't believe me. She laughs at me, tells me that I am ridiculous. I try to get through to her, to get her to help me, but she doesn't and I can't. If I want to solve this, I need to do it myself.